Potato-bug-trapping machine



1. M. DRAKE.

POITATO BUG TRAPPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Nov.2s, i919.

1 ,344, 1 1 9 Patented June 22, 1920.

Q @yimg j aww/Coz @9i/hama U Y if w 1. M. BRAKE.

POTATO BUG TRAPPING MACHINE. APPucATIoN man Nov.28. 1919.

1,344,119; Patented Jun@ 22, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I. M. DRAKE. POTATO BUG TRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1919.

Patented June 22, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WN. MN

' @9i/kumal J. M. DRAKE.

POTATO BUG TRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, I9I9. K

Patented J une 22, 1920.

4 SHEETS--SHEET 4.

I l l x UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MoNno BRAKE, or sHAwANo, WISCONSIN. f

POTATO-BUG-TRAPPING MACHINE.

y Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led'November 28, 1919. Serial No. 341,085.

new and useful Improvements in Potato- Bug-Trapping Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact Qdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make andfuse the same.

This invention relates to potato-bug trappingmachines, and more specifically to an improved machine for dislodging potatobugs from lthe potato-vines and killing them.

lOne -objectof this invention is to generally improve upon devices of this character by providing an improved machine which not only kills the potato-bugskwhich fall or descend from the vines when they are shaken, but also kills the bugs or insects which ascend orffly upward from the vines.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved device forlifting the plant-stems so that the foliage is superjacent to the lower insect-traps, this plant shaker being subjacent to the upper insect-trap.

. A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this character with adjustable and detachable deflector plates for directing the insects onto the traps.

Other objects and advantages may become apparent to persons who read the following details of description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my improved insect trapping machine in position for being operated.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, the sectionbein taken substantially along the line 2-2 of y ig. 3.

Fig. 3 1s a transverse vertical sectional view, the section being taken substantially Q mitting the dead insects to drop on the along-theline 3-3 of Fig.` 2. f

Fig.4 4 is a horizontal sectional view` the section `being taken along the line 4 4 of 1 Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional detail view,

f the section being taken along the line 5-5 ofFig. 2. f 1

Referringto these drawingsinydetail, in which similarreference 'characters correspond with similar parts throughout the several views; the invention comprises the device hereinafter described and claimed as follows: y;

Considering theinvention in a ybroad -as- Patented June 22, 1920.

pect, the machine comprises a main frame,

a pair of ground-wheels 1, a lower insecttrap, an upper insect-trap, a device for raising and shakingthe stems of plants, and transmission means operatable by one of the ground-wheels for operating an upper and lower insect-trap and also operating the 4 plant-shaking device.

The main frame comprises two lower sections2 and an upper section 3, the latter being substantially in the shape of an inverted U and having the lower ends of its upright' portions rigidly united with thelower frame sections while its upper end extends horizontally across the lower frame sections 2. The lower frame sections are secured in parallel spaced relation to one another by means of the upper section, so that one of the vlower sections may travel along one side of a row f of plants while the other lower section travels along the other side ofthe row of plants. Each lower frame section 2- comprises a trough-like structure in which a shaft 4 is rotatably mounted, suitable bear-A ings being provided through the walls of the trough-like structure, and the wheels 1 supportand rotate the shafts 4 when the machine is pushedY or pulled along the rows of plants. Rollers 5 are mounted on the shafts 4, within the trough-like structures 2, l

and impart rotary movement to two pairs of rollers 6 which are also mounted in the trough-like'structure and are journaled in the walls thereof. Each pair of rollers 6 carries an endless belt 7, and it will be seen thateach belt 7 and its pair of rollers 6 constitutes a conveyer to receive insects which fall from the potato-vines or other plants and convey them to the rear end of the machine and thence downward between the belts 7 androllers 5, thereby crushing and killing theinsects. An aperture 8 is provided in each lower frame section for perground.

A`The upper frame section preferably comvprises two yokes 9 of gas-pipe or other metal 14 and 15 constitute an upper conveyer, and

together with a pressing roller 16 constitute an upper insect trap, as will hereinafter be explained. 1

The main frame further comprises a pair of beams 17 which are secured together andV to the frame 9 by bolts or other appropriate means, and these beams 17 combine to form a journal-bearing in which a crankshaft 18 is jeurna'led. The rigid main frame .structure is completed by the `provision of -two shafts 19 and a handle-bar 20, the shafts 19 being imrlined downward yand rearward, and `the handle-bar f2() being secured on the fron-t ends of the shafts 19.

A sprocket-wheel 21 is carried by one of the ground-wheels 1, anda sl-)roclret-chain '2Q meshes with this wheel and with a wheel 23 which is carried by the shaft 18 and operates to rotate the latter. This shalt `also carries sprocket-wheel 21 which imparts rotary vnfiovtnnent to a sprocket-wheel 25 through the medium of a chain 26. It will be seen, therefore, that when the sprocketwheel 21 is *rotated by vits grounCl-wheel `1, motion is'transmitted -to the elements 22, 23,

24,26 and 25 to the shaft 12 which actua "biglit and slotted ends 32. `These slotted ends are ineferably secured to 'the respective lower frime sections 2 tli roughv the nledium of headed l."astr1iers 5...., and :the two similar halves olE the shalri-ng rod are approximately parallel, but are somewhat convergent toward the bight `3 lllorwver 'the plant-shaking rod is upwardly and inwardly inclined from its front end to its upper or 'inner end, and therefore, this rod is o'lective 'for raising Vthe stems of ponitoes or other pla nts as Awell as for shaking s2 'd seins n dislodging the insects thereiiom. All. helical spring 3h41 has its lower end fonneeted to the bight 31 and has its upper en-d crrfnn'ecteiV to c e of the yokes 9. F rom "the lforegoing description, ift will be seen that when,thebellcranlr er lever 28 is oscillated about its pivot 231 (see Fig.' the 'rear end o1-U the shaking rod 29 will "be moved back and forth across the spacevbetween the lower frames 2, 'and the front ends ^`of 'this rod slide forward and rearward while bein-g 'held `against lateralmovement by the headed fasteners Two shoes or runners '35 are secured respectively on the 'front ends of lthevlower frame sections 2, and each shoe 35 is provided with an arm 36 which is upwardly and rearwardly inclined. Deiector plates or detachable side members 37 are secured to the uprights of the sections 9 by means of clips 38 and flanges 39, these flanges constituting upward/extensions of the troughlike lower frame members 2. The clips 33 may be secured to the side plates 37 `by means of one or more bolts or screws, and may be Iturned out of their `effective positions by removing or loosening one or more of the screws. lV hen these clips 38 are disengaged from the uprights 9, the plates 37 may be lifted eult of engagement with Athe flanges 39 so that unobstructed access may be had to the interior portion 'of the machine.

Each side plate 37 is formed with a rear deflector 40,11 Yfront delector 11 anda pair of guard members `or pla-tes 42 which support `the deflect-ors 41. The-guard plates 42 eonif'erge toward the front :end of the machine, so as to guard and protect the flower coiweyers, to prevent weeds and Vplant-stems from I'Jeeoming entangled about the joua-nais of `these conveyors; and the ripper edges el these `plates are rearwardly and upwardly inclined so asto eope'rate with 'the arms 36 'for dellecting the vplant-stenis `upwardly and inwardly over the deflectors 41 andthe shaking rod 29; However, it should be understood that 1in the event` fthe arms 36 are omitted or broken ofl, the machine would still be operative and efficient, (though perhaps less ellicient than if fthe arms 36 are present), for the upwardly and rearwardly inclined fron-t ends of the shaking mod 29 would cooperate with the vshoesoir runners 35 to raise therplant-sterns from th'e groundv to a substantially vertical position. In this connection, it should be ululerstoml that the front ends of the shoes T35 aresharp so as to enter the spaces between 'the ground and the plant-stems which lie thereon, the lower surfaces of the shoes being turned slightly upward art 'their front ends, to pre- `vent the shoes from entering "the ground.

to these frame sections and to the deiector f vplates el@ as illustrated in Fig. 3, so thatthe inclination of the plates -13 may be varied according to the height of the .plants being treated;

In the foregoing description of the lower Y insect-traps, it was explainedthat each conveyer 6-7 is driven by the roller 5.

'The operation of this `device is `as follows: As the' machine is drawn forward while straddl-ing the row `of potatoes lor other plants, the sharp front end of the" shoes or runners 35 slide ein the `ground and reise the plant-stems which are lying on or adjacent to the ground, vand the raising of the stems is continued by means of arms 36 and inclined front edges or' the plates 42 until the plant-stems pass over the front delectors or plates 41. The plant-stemsthen fall upon the approximatelyy horizontal portions of the shaking rod 39, and this dropping of the stems, together with the shaking movements of the rod 29, causes some of the insects to fall while frightening others and causing them to ly from the plants. Those insects which 'fall upon the conveyer belts 7, or are directed thereon by the plates 40, 41, 43 and 37, are conveyed into the passage between the belts 7 and the rollers 5 and are crushed and dropped on they ground. On the other hand, a large number of those insects which fly upward alight on the belt 15 and are conveyed rearwardly into the passage between this belt and the roller 16. It should be understood that the crank shaft 18 performs the dual function of transmitting movement to the conveyer belt 15 and to the plant shaking device.- f

Although I have described-this embodiment of my invention very specifically, it is not intended to limit this invention to these exact` details of construction and arrangement, but changes may be made within the scope of the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a plant shaking device to engage and shake the plants and thereby dislodge insects from the plants, means, including runners which slide on the ground to raise the plant-stems and guide them into position to be shakenby said shaking device, a plurality of insect-traps, oner of 'said traps being located below and another located above the part of said shaking device that K engages with the plants, for trapping the insects that all and kthose that rise from the plants, and means to carry said shaking de? vice along a row of plants and to operate said shaker and traps. f

2. In a machine of the character described, a main frame, a ground-wheel journaled to the rear end of said main frame and carrying said Vrear end, a sliding runner having a sharp front end to pass under and raise plant stems from the ground, a'plantshaking rod having its front end adjacent to the top of said runner and extending rearward from the latter and being upwardly inclined so as to continue the raising of the.

plant-stems to an approximately vertical position, means subjacent to the rear part of said plant-shaking rod for trapping insects which descend from the plants being shaken, means superj acent to said plant-shaking rod for trapping insects thatarise from said plants, means operatable by said groundwheel and including a crank-shaft journaled in the main frame between the upper and lower means for trapping insects, and means operatable by said crank-shaft to actuate said plant-shaking rod.

3. In a machine of the character described, a main frame, a 0'round-wheel journaled to the vrea-rend 0I said main frame and carrying said rear end, a sliding runner having a sharp frontend to pass under and lodged rom the plants by said plant-shaking rod, a helical spring connecting the rear end of said rod'to a part of said frame above said .plant-shaking rod, a crank shaft, transmission means operatable by` said ground-wheel Jfor rotating said crank-shaft, a pitman-rod having one end pivoted to said crank-shaft, a lever fulcrumed to said main frame and pivoted to said pitman-rod, and a link having one end pivoted to the said lever and its other end connected to said plantshaking rod-for actuating the latter.

4. In a machine of the character described, two lower Vframe sections yspaced from one another to permit them to move along a row of plants, an upper frame section spanning the space between the lower frame sections and securing them in substantially fixed relation to one another, insect-traps carried by said lower frame sections, a bent rod ormedwith slots at its ends and having 'a bight at its middle portions betweenthe bight and slotted ends being approximately parallel but somewhat convergent toward said bight, headed fasteners each extending through` one of said oscillate said bent rod laterally of said space betweenthe lower frame sections.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES MONRO BRAKE.

- raise plant stems from the ground, a plant- 

